Non-slip soap cake



July 20, 1965 w. R. PRESLEY NON-SLIP SOAP CAKE May 27 F 1 G. 1

FIG.5

VENTOR, WAYMANR RESLEY United States 3,196,112 NfiN-SLE? SSA? CAKE Wayman R. Presley, RED. 1, Malranda, Ill. Filed May 27, 1963, $91. No. 283,277 2 Claims. ((1 252-92) My invention relates broadly to soap cakes and more particularly to soap cakes having non-slip friction means.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of soap cake having friction means to prevent the bar or cake of soap from slipping out of ones hand or from sliding on a surface when wet.

Another object of my invention is to provide a non-slip friction tread for a soap cake which automatically shrinks or contracts as the soap is used so as to remain taut on the surface thereof during all sizes of the soap cake.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a friction gripping surface for a soap cake which slightly elevates the same above its supporting surface to facilitate drying of the soap on the underside to prevent sticking and soap loss.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fric tion gripping surface for a bar of soap which does not act as an abrasive when the soap is used and does not appreciably diminish the lathering surface thereof.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the manner in which the friction gripping surface is disposed about the edge of the soap, the manner in which it allows a soap ridge to form therebeneath as the cake wears away with use, and the manner in which it strengthens the cake against breaking when it is reduced in size, as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the top and edge surfaces of the non-slip soap cake of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the soap cake of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the end edge of the soap cake and showing the cake reduced in size from wear;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged View of a fragmentary portion of FIG. 4 showing the manner in which the friction means maintains the soap above the supporting surface; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational View, partly broken away, of a portion of the elastic thread from which the gripping surface is constructed.

The teachings of the invention are preferably applicable to the miniature size soap cakes, such as commonly supplied for guests by hotels and motels, but it is to be understood that the invention is also applicable to larger type soap cakes although it may be necessary to use elastic thread of greater tensile strength and size for the friction surface in the larger size cakes than would be required for the miniature size cakes.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, reference numeral 1 designates a bar or cake of soap of the miniature or individual personal size. The soap cake body portion 1 is provided with top surface 2, bottom surface 3, and perimeter edge surfaces indicated at 4. The nonslip construction which forms a friction gripping tread on the outer surfaces of the soap cake body portion is formed from a continuous elastic member or thread indicated generally at 5 and having a central bare elastic element 6 with a cotton fabric covering, indicated at 7 in FIG. 6.

The friction gripping tread formed by the continuous elastic member 5 consists of a series of interconnected loops formed about the erimeter of the soap cake body 3,1 %,3 l2 Patented July 26, 1965 portion with a portion of each loop exposed on the surface of the body portion. Each loop is provided with a top portion 8, a bottom portion d, and an end portion 10 respectively, exposed and mounted snugly on the exterior top surface 2, bottom surface 3, and edge surfaces 4 of the soap cake body portion 1. The remaining end portion 11 which completes each loop and which is disposed opposite the exposed end portion it is embedded within the soap cake body portion 1 to securely fasten the loop thereto, with said portion 11 extending transversely through the body portion intermediate the top and bottom surfaces 2 and 3 at a point 12 spaced somewhat inwardly of the perimeter edge surface. The loops are preferably disposed so that they are substantially at right angles with the adjacent edge surface 4 of the soap cake portion as shown in the drawings. The points 12, whereat the elastic loops are connected to the body portion 3 adjacent the corners 13, of the soap cake body portion, are spaced away from the corners 13 a sumcient distance such that the elastic loops cannot easily slip around the corners, particularly after the soap cake body portion has been somewhat diminished in size from use. As shown in FIG. 2, each loop is connected by a portion 14 of the continuous elastic member 5 with the interconnecting portions 14 being exposed on the bottom surface 3 of the soap cake as shown in FIG. 2. The beginning of the continuous elastic member 5 forming the plurality of interconnected loops is indicated at 15 in FIG. 2, secured by tying or the like to the end portion 16 of the continuous elastic member 5.

The elastic member 5 which forms the friction loops is of a diameter sufficient to form a slight friction tread on the outer surface of the soap cake body portion but is small enough so that it will not act as an abrasive when the soap cake is utilized. The elastic member 5 is actually thread-like in proportion to a miniature size soap cake as indicated in the drawings, but for the purpose of clarity in illustration, the elastic member forming the friction tread has been shown somewhat exaggerated in size throughout the several figures. The individual interconnected loops are spaced from each other a sufiicient distance such that the surface area of the soap bar is not noticeably diminished, thus allowing free lathering when the soap is used. Since the elastic element 5 forming the friction tread is exposed on the exterior surface of the soap cake, when the same is laid on a supporting surface, the soap cake body portion 1 is spaced a minute distance above the supporting surface, that is approximately the diameter of the elastic member 5, so that when a Wet soap cake is laid on the supporting surface a minute air space is provided beneath the bottom surface 3 which promotes drying of the undersurface of the soap and thereby prevents soap loss and sticking of the soap cake to the supporting surface.

The elastic member 5 forming the friction tread may be stitched into the soap cake after the same is molded but before it becomes hardened by means of a sewing machine or the like. The elastic member may also be handstitched into a soft cake of soap before the same becomes hardened to form the loop stitched friction tread. Whichever form is used, the elastic member 5 is placed under tension as each loop stitch is formed so that the elastic member forming the entire friction tread is under tension at all times and therefore in snug fitting engagement with the exterior surface of the soap cake. As the soap cake is diminished in size, due to consumption or Wear, the elastic thread simultaneously contracts since each portion thereof is under elastic tension so that each portion of the elastic thread always remains in snug fitting engagement with the exterior surface of the soap cake through all sizes of the latter.

The elastic thread may also be formed on a soap cake by threading the same in a loop stitch pattern with a a tensioned elastic member on the inside of a soap cake soap cake to form the external friction tread for the soap cake. It may be necessary to pass several anchoring members through the soap cake to anchor the net bag in place. However, in all forms of the invention the elastic member forming the friction tread is held under tension at all times.

The small exposed elastic members in loop-form abou the perimeter of the soap cake thus provide sufiicient friction for gripping the cake by the hand to render the same less likely to slip from the hand and to prevent it from slipping on a smooth surface when the soap cake is laid on the same, such as the edge of a lavatory, bath tub, etc. Since elastic member 5 fort ing the looped friction tread is under tension and thus held in snug fitting engagement with the exterior surface of the soap cake at all times, it has been found that as the soap cake diminishes in size due to use, as shown in F168. 4

, and 5, small soap ridges, indicated at 17, are formed beneath each of the snug fitting portions of the elastic thread as shown. These ridges 17 thus elevate the soap cake portion 1 a greater distance above the supporting surface and thus promote quicker drying that has heretofore been obtained. it has also been found that when the soap cake has Worn down very thin the tensioned elastic loops forming the friction tread tend to strengthen the soap cake, thus prolonging use of the soap and postponing the time at which the worn cake tends to break into small pieces.

While I have described my invention in its preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications may be made, and I desire that it be understood that no limitations i upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. A non-slip soap cake comprising a soap cake body portion with exterior top, bottom and edge surfaces, a continuous elastic member, a series of interconnected loops formed from said continuous elastic member and connected through'said soap cake body portion, each of said loops having a top, bottom and end portion exposed and mounted snugly on the exterior top, bottom and edge surfaces of said soap cake body portion, said continuous elastic member having interconnecting portions exposed on the surface of said soap cake body portion connecting said loops, saidloops disposed in spaced relation whereby free lathering is not impeded, the connections of said loops through said soap cake adjacent the corners of said soap cake body portion spaced inwardly of said edge surfaces a distance to prevent said loops from slipping around the corners in use, and said continuous elastic member connected under tension at all times and being. non-abrasive'in use.

2. 'A non-slip soap cake asset forth in claim 1 in which said continuous elastic member consists of ,a central bare elastic element and a cotton fabric covering thereon.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,505,444 4/50 Verbsky 252-92 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 838,181 6/60 Great Britain.

JULIUS GREENWALD, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT T. MEYERS, Examiner. 

1. A NON-SLIP SOAP CAKE COMPRISING A SOAP CAKE BODY PORTION WITH EXTERIOR TOP, BOTTOM AND EDGE SURFACES, A CONTINUOUS ELASTIC MEMBER, A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTED LOOPS FORMED FROM SAID CONTINUOUS ELASTIC MEMBER AND CONNECTED THROUGH SAID SOAP CAKE BODY PORTION, EACH OF SAID LOOPS HAVING A TOP, BOTTOM AND END PORTION EXPOSED AND MOUNTED SNUGLY ON THE EXTERIOR TOP, BOTTOM AND EDGE SURFACES OF SAID SOAP CAKE BODY PORTION, SAID CONTINUOUS ELASTIC MEMBER HAVING INTERCONNECTING PORTIONS EXPOSED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID SOAP CAKE BODY PORTION CONNECTING SAID LOOPS, SAID LOOPS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION WHEREBY FREE LATHERING IS NOT IMPEDED, THE CONNECTIONS OF SAID LOOPS THROUGH SAID SOAP CAKE ADJACENT THE CORNERS OF SAID SOAP CAKE BODY PORTION SPACED INWARDLY OF SAID EDGE SURFACES A DISTANCE TO PREVENT SAID LOOPS FROM SLIPPING AROUND THE CORNERS IN USE, AND SAID CONTINUOUS ELASTIC MEMBER CONNECTED UNDER TENSION AT ALL TIMES AND BEING NON-ABRASIVE IN USE. 